A3P File

What are A3P files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an A3P file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your A3P files.

What is an A3P file?

A3P files have multiple uses, and Alice 3 Project is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Alice 3 Project

Alice is a coding program that uses puzzle-based coding combined with your creative imagination to create stories, animations, and even 3D games. Alice is designed in a way that helps you improve the way you think, the way you understand how the building blocks of programming work, and it gives you your very first experience with object-oriented programming.

One of the biggest benefits of Alice is that it is not limited to a certain age group. It is designed in a way that can be enjoyed and be beneficial for all ages. It is easy to use, all you have to do is drag and drop the coding blocks to create your ideal game or story. As an Alice user, you could later move on to text-based coding to further your programming experience and knowledge.

How to open A3P files

Important: Different programs may use files with the A3P file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your A3P file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested two different A3P openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 16, 2026

All known file formats using extension .A3P

While Alice 3 Project is a popular type of A3P-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .A3P file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

GenCAM Object Model

GenCAM Object Model files (extension .A3P) store detailed manufacturing data for printed circuit boards and assemblies according to the GenCAM standard (IPC-2511). These text-based files are created by CAD/CAM systems to capture everything needed for fabrication, assembly, quality testing and documentation of a printed circuit board, including geometry, materials, electrical test points and administrative details. SAP's Visual Enterprise Viewer, among others, reads A3P files for viewing ECAD models in manufacturing operations.

GenCAM files are written in a structured ASCII keyword format under IPC-2511A (version 1.0) and have an alternate XML form under IPC-2511B, which re-expresses the same object model. The content is divided into named sections (e.g. HEADER, ADMINISTRATION, PRIMITIVES, LAYERS, PADSTACKS, ROUTES, ARTWORKS, COMPONENTS, BOARDS) each introduced by keywords beginning with a dollar sign (like $HEADER) and closed with matching $ENDHEADER etc. These files are used to pass data from PCB designers to manufacturers where downstream CAM systems interpret details like conductor routing, component placement, and fabrication constraints.

Internally, A3P GenCAM files can be reliably identified by their byte signatures: they begin with the ASCII signature "$HEADER" at offset zero; contain the phrase "TERADYNE GENCAM OBJECT MODEL"; and include strings such as "$ENDADMINISTRATION", "$PRIMITIVES", "TRANSACTION", "PROJECT_NAME", "LANGUAGE", "ROUTES", "PACKAGES", among others.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of A3P files. Remember, different programs may use A3P files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

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